US-based Nigerian Convicted For Killing Fiancée

To this end, Alohaneke faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in jail.

A court in the United States has convicted a Nigerian Osa Alohaneke for stabbing his Cameroonian fiancée to death in 2015.

To this end, Alohaneke faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in jail.

After deliberating for some 13 hours, the Fort Bend County, Houston, late Friday afternoon convicted the 59-year-old in the slaying of Evelyne Ebane Epiepang, 52.

It was learned that Alohaneke looked down and showed no emotion when the verdict was read in court.

Prosecutors alleged that Alohaneke used a kitchen knife to attack Epiepang, his fiancée, and her friend, Veronica Taku.

Alohaneke, who was living at the time in a section of southwest Houston that lies in Fort Bend County, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Epiepang was stabbed more than 30 times and died as she called 911 operators for help. Screams echoed in the courtroom for more than four minutes when prosecutors played the 911 call for jurors last week.

When police arrived, Alohaneke was on the phone with an attorney, his hands covered in blood. Blood was splatted on his arms up to his elbows, Assistant District Attorney Amanda Bolin told jurors during her closing arguments.

“His mission was pain and devastation and he accomplished his mission,” Bolin said.

Defense attorney Eric Ashford pointed to what he said were weaknesses in the case against Alohaneke, many of which he alleged were caused by a haphazard investigation by the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.

“Was this case taken seriously by investigators? They didn’t even do the forensic analysis needed to determine the murder weapon,” Ashford told jurors.

Ashford also attacked the credibility of Taku, the only witness to the killing. She had testified she saw Alohaneke “turn white like a ghost after the murder”.

“This could have been a hallucination,” Ashford told jurors. “But did detectives investigate Taku’s mental status? No, during testimony they said they didn’t think it was important.”